Parenting

BEING A PARENT IS A HUGE RESPONSIBILITY AND TAKES A LOT OF COURAGE. I AM A PARENT AND HAVE BEEN FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS. I HAVE A THREE YEAR OLD DAUGHTER NAMED BELLA. SHE IS THE BEST THING THAT HAS EVER HAPPENED TO ME AND CONTINUES TO TEACH ME HOW TO LOVE AND LEARN NEW THINGS EACH AND EVERY DAY. I GET TO TALK TO MY DAUGHTER EVERY DAY ON THE PHONE AND IT IS THE HIGHLIGHT OF MY DAY AND REMINDS ME TO KEEP PUSHING FORWARD AND TO NEVER GIVE UP ON ANYTHING IN LIFE. SHE HAS ALSO TAUGHT ME THAT ALTHOUGH THINGS DO NOT ALWAYS GO AS PLANNED, HEAVENLY FATHER WILL MAKE SURE THE TURN OUT ALRIGHT. I NEVER KNEW MY BIRTH PARENTS GROWING UP. I WAS ADOPTED WHEN I WAS A BABY AND WAS RAISED BY A LOVING MOTHER FIGURE FOR THE YOUNGER YEARS OF MY LIFE. I KNEW SHE WASN’T MY REAL MOTHER THOUGH, AND THIS BOTHERED ME AND CONTINUED TO FORM MANY YEARS. MY ADOPTED MOTHER DIED WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER AND FOR A WHILE, I FELT LIKE I HAD NO ONE. LITTLE DID I KNOW, MY FATHER AND HEAVEN WAS LOOKING OVER ME AND HAD SOMETHING GREAT IN STORE FOR ME. I WAS SOON INTRODUCED TO THE GOSPEL AND THIS WAS A HUGE CHANGE TO MY LIFE. I NEVER FELT LIKE I HAD BELONGED ANYWHERE, BUT WHEN I ATTENDED CHURCH AND WAS SURROUNDED BY THE MEMBERS, I FELT WELCOME. I FELT LIKE THIS WAS SOMEWHERE I WAS MEANT TO BE. I ALSO FELT BEGAN TO KNOW THAT I HAVE A FATHER IN HEAVEN AND THAT ALTHOUGH I DID NOT REMEMBER HIM, HE REMEMBERED ME AND HE HAS A PLAN FOR ME PERSONALLY. THIS WAS THE BEST NEWS TO HEAR, TO KNOW THAT I DO HAVE A FATHER WHO LOVES ME SO MUCH THAT HE SENT HIS SON TO DIE FOR ME SO THAT I CAN LIVE WITH HIM AGAIN. THIS KNOWLEDGE HAS BEEN SUCH A BLESSING IN MY LIFE AND HAS PROVIDED ME WITH SO MUCH COMFORT. I FINALLY FEEL NEEDED SOMEWHERE AND I KNOW THAT SOMEONE LOVES ME INFINITELY. AFTER I JOINED THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER DAY SAINTS, I MET A FAMILY IN MY WARD WHO WAS SO KIND TO ME. THEY TREATED ME LIKE I WAS SOMEONE SPECIAL AND LIKE I DESERVED TO BE LOVED. THIS WAS TRULY A BLESSING TO ME. WHEN I DECIDED TO GO BYUI, THEY OFFERED FOR ME TO SPEND THE NIGHT IN THEIR HOME AND GIVE ME A RIDE TO THE AIRPORT IN THE MORNING. I TOOK THEM UP ON THIS OFFER AND EVER SINCE WE HAVE HAD SUCH AN AMAZING BOND. I CALL THEM MY MOM AND DAD BECAUSE I FEEL THAT THEY TRULY FIT THE ROLE TO BE MY MOTHER AND FATHER. THEY HAVE TREATED ME LIKE FAMILY EVER SINCE I MET THEM AND NOW, THEY TRULY ARE MY FAMILY. I AM SO THANKFUL FOR THEM AND THE UNCONDITIONAL LOVE AND SUPPORT THAT THEY HAVE SHOWN ME THROUGHOUT THE YEARS. THEY HAVE SHOWN ME WHAT IT TRULY MEANS TO BE A MOTHER AND FATHER AND HOW TO RAISE A CHILD IN A LOVING ENVIRONMENT. I HAVE A BROTHER AND SISTER AS WELL AND THEY TOO HAVE SHOWN ME WHAT LOVE IS REALLY LIKE AND HAS HELPED ME BECOME THE INDIVIDUAL THAT I AM TODAY. I AM SO THANKFUL FOR MY PARENTS AND THE EXAMPLES THAT THEY HAVE SET FOR ME AND I WANT TO FOLLOW AND HONOR THEIR EXAMPLES BY BEING THE BEST FATHER THAT I CAN BE TO MY DAUGHTER AS WELL AS ANY OTHER FUTURE CHILDREN I HAVE.